Chapter 28

"I SEE that you have been glowing ever since you're married, Nick,"
"And I have seen that you are being extra annoying, Ian. I wonder if you should get leg shackled as well so that your annoyance will not ruin my day," Niklaus said as he was reviewing the matter of his tenants as well as the problems within the court.
The Lesser Gentry, the mortal lords who knew about the secret of the royal family, and the Higher Court lords, were trying to make sure that their respective tenants were happy without having to rely on the Higher Court.
But it would seem impossible since they have to make sure that everyone is treated the same and fair. Niklaus rubbed his temple as Ian was settling on the chair in front of his desk.
"Still not giving me the land, are you?" he said as Niklaus was glaring at his peer. Ian was smirking before he was whistling low. Niklaus was sighing before rubbing his eyes as he leaned back on his chair.
"I won the bet, Ian. Hence, no land for you right now or in the future. I wish that you would win but considering that my wife did not run away from me, you can say that I am here to stay and she will be with me in our lives together," Niklaus said as he was smirking at the marquis. Ian was blinking his eyes, trying to process the information that Niklaus just disclosed to him.
"Did you mean—"
"Yes,"
"Is she—"
"Yes,"
"How do you know it's possible? Will she not die in the process of the conversion, Nick? I hate to tell you I told you so later but if anything happens and you are not in the right mind, I will tell you now.
“Nick, I don't think we can convert a lady to be a Vampyre. I'm sorry but I told you so," Ian said as Nick was rolling his eyes. He was rubbing his temple before he took a deep breath and looked at the marquis.
"Do you know how Aiden and how Arabella was able to wed him?" Nick asked Ian as he was arching his eyebrow at the marquis. Ian shook his head.
"It's because Aiden was converted and to think that if a male can be converted—"
"Why can't a female? I see your point, Nick, but are you willing to lose her if anything—"
Everything went by so fast that the papers were off the table as Nick was glaring at Ian. The marquis knew not to provoke the Duke of Belikov for he was the strongest Vampyre in their ranks.
Why Niklaus was not the king sometimes baffled Ian.
"I would like you to refrain from talking nonsense, Ian. And I don't like it when you're thinking that my wife will die before her time," Nick's voice was calm but Ian knew not to say anything for he could see the fury inside the duke's eyes.
"Of course," Ian mumbled before he was running his fingers through his hair, "my mistake,"
Nick ignored him as he went back to pick up the papers when he knew he shouldn't do that. Now, he has doubled the workload for his night.
So much for leaving early to be with my wife, he thought before he went to collect the papers and tried to ignore the pain at the thought of losing Becca when he just found his soulmate.

BECCA was pacing back and forth in the drawing room before she heard the sound of hooves hitting the cobblestones of the courtyard. She went to greet her husband as the butler was opening the door for Niklaus to come in his immaculate Ditto suit; black breeches with a black waistcoat with a black outer coat. He handed the hat and the gloves to the butler as he was smiling at her.
"Becca, I see that you are eager to meet me as soon as I am home," Nick said as she strode toward him. He did the same before he captured her face and kissed the shit out of her.
She had been dying to have his lips against her but the pressure of her sister's letter was burning at the back of her mind that she could not enjoy a simple act such as kissing her husband.
"I have something to tell you, Nick," she said before her husband was leading her toward their bedchambers. She knew that it had been a few hours since they made love before Niklaus was leaving for Stone Tower but his eagerness to strip her naked and have his way with her would have to wait.
Until she told him about the impromptu visit, Becca will have to surpass her desire to have his cock inside her wet core.
"My love, will you stop and listen? I have something important to share with you and I cannot concentrate when we're in bed," she said before Nick turned to look at her, smirking at their bedchambers.
"In that case, my love, I have to get you to the bed as soon as possible since I cannot think either," he said before Becca was pulling him to a full stop. Niklaus was frowning as his eyebrows were touching each other before she was gripping his wrist.
"Nick, there is something I have to tell you," she said before her husband was focusing his blue orbs on her face.
"And what is it?" he asked. Becca noted that his voice changed slightly as if he was in...Fear. Niklaus Dragomir, the Duke of Belikov, was in fear? The Gossipers would go nuts if they knew that something could make Nick tremble. Becca saved that for later. She sighed before she straightened her posture, knowing that her husband would not like this one bit but she had to tell her.
It's only a matter of time before her sister and her husband—
"Milord, I have something to inform," the old butler interrupted as they both turned to look at him. His greying hair was noticeable before Niklaus was nodding at him.
"What is it?" he asked before Becca felt her gut was dropping to the floor. Oh no!
"There is a carriage outside the estate wanting to gain entrance. The lord and lady of the carriage stated that they were related to—"
"Me," Becca said as she sighed. Niklaus turned to look at her and she felt his eyes narrow at the information.
"They related to you? But Becca, who would come and visit—"
"That's what I was about to tell you, Nick. This morning after you left, I received a letter from one of my sisters. My oldest sister told me that she would be coming to visit with her husband at the estate. I wanted to tell you as soon as you got home but you're busy trying to get into my skirts and—"
Niklaus stopped her as he cradled her face in his hands. She turned to look at him before Niklaus was smiling at her. Then, he kissed her lips.
"Do not fear for my wrath, my love. If your family wanted to visit, I would welcome them with my open arms. But your sister's impromptu visit was a bit too much but for now, I will let it slide and warn her that next time, she should tell you a week in advance," Niklaus said before Becca smiled at him. Then, she tiptoed as she kissed his nose because she simply couldn't resist.
"Thank you. So, shall we greet her and her husband?" Becca said as she put her hand on the crook of her husband's elbow. Niklaus smiled at her.
"Let's give her the proper welcome for her impromptu visit," he said before Becca laughed as they went downstairs to welcome the intruders into their estate.

LADY Rosetta and Lord Russell Davenport were a stunning couple with her sister's auburn hair and grey eyes as her husband was a black-haired man with blue eyes.
But of course, Becca would prefer her husband to be blond with blue eyes as she would drift her eyes to look at Niklaus as he greeted them into their home.
"Welcome, welcome! I am so sorry for not preparing your appropriate welcome since I just knew of this arrival a few minutes after I returned home from the capital. Please, make yourself at home," Niklaus said as they were sitting in the drawing room Rosetta was untying her bonnet before her husband removed his hat and gloves they gave it to the butler to store it.
Lord Russell Davenport was the eldest son of Lord and Lady Davenport, one of the lords in Lesser Gentry but words said that Russell was not involved with the court.
Only his brother, Harold, was the apparent heir to his father's seat but Becca did not know for certain what had become of Lord Harold Davenport since he was not known by many.
"Please, my apologies, Your Graces, for coming up with an impromptu plan. My wife insisted that we come to meet her youngest sister since we could not make it to the wedding. Our felicitations on the union, by the way, Your Graces," Lord Russell said as Rosetta was smiling at Nick. Becca felt something was rising inside her but she swallowed it down when her sister turned to look at her.
"Becca darling, I was shocked to hear when Mama said that you were married and we didn't even know about the wedding. I supposed living far away in North Msallste was a part of the reason why Mama told me that she did not want to bother us but if I had known, Russell would have a time off from the Institution in Chestersea. It's not like his students will miss him if he cancels some classes or two," Rosetta said before Becca turned to look at her brother-in-law.
"The Institution?" she asked before Russell was smiling at her.
"I work there as one of the faculty in the Herbal Studies for future healers and physicians," he said before Becca was blinking her eyes.
"So, you're a trained healer?" Nick said before Becca turned to look at her husband. Duke of Belikov knew about the Institution.
"Yes, I am but I chose to teach the knowledge back to the younger generation as well as conduct my research there as well," Russell said as Niklaus was smiling.
"Impressive. Not everyone can handle such a profession, myself included," Niklaus said before they both laughed.
"I can assure you, Your Grace, which running the estate was not one of my passions. It was truly a miracle that my younger brother was in line for such things," he said before Niklaus smiled.
"Please, we're family now. You can call me Niklaus or Nick if you prefer," he said before Russell smiled.
"Then you can call me Russ, Nick," he said before her husband was smiling.
"Nice to meet you, Russ and Rosetta. I hope you will enjoy your stay here at Belikov Estate," Niklaus said as the maid was coming in to serve some tea with biscuits. But Becca was alerted that she saw something in her oldest sister's eyes as she was smiling at Niklaus.
"And we are honored to have you like family, Nick," she said as Becca's gut was stirring. Something about the way that Rosetta smiled set her off but of what, Becca did not have a clue.